The world’s smallest car could sell for $100K next month

This tiny Peel P50 could fetch $100K at RM Sotheby's Amelia Island auction on March 12.

Handout, RM Sotheby's

Who needs a Jaguar F-Type R when you can have the world's most cheerful three-wheeler?

by
Nick Tragianis | March 2, 2016

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The Peel P50 might be the smallest car in the world, but it makes up for that in charm – and, evidently, price.

At its Amelia Island auction later this month, RM Sotheby’s is putting up this 1964 Peel P50 for sale. The expected price for the world’s smallest car – as verified by Guinness World Records – is expected to fall anywhere between US$75,000 to $100,000.

You might scoff at the price, but Peel P50s are truly special cars. The original prototype was unveiled in 1962 and by the time the P50 was replaced by the Trident, just 47 examples were built and of those, 26 are said to have survived until today. You could say these little things are rare.

In their heyday, it’s easy to see why Peel billed the P50 as “almost cheaper than walking,” though walking might be a touch faster. The P50 was powered by a two-stroke, 4.5-horsepower engine hooked up to a three-speed manual transmission. Top speed was a less-than-neck-breaking 61 km/h – but at least you’d be getting 100 MPG.